Hook conveyer



Aug. 1, 1950 c. ROUSSEAU 2,517,444

HOOK CONVER Filed Sept. 12, 1944 %uae Rousseau Patentecl Aug. l, 1950 2,517,444; HOOK cowfatznn Claude Rousseau, Montmagn; Quebec, Canada Application September 12, 19 14; SeilNo. 553736 My invention relates to improvements in con-' veyors in which the material to be transported is sugpended from devices rolling on a suspended track or rail.

The object of my invention is to provide in a convoyer, first, a continuous fiow of unconnected rolling devices pushed through by a suitable driving mechanism, some of the rolling devices supporting the material to be transported.

These improvements apply as Well to a conveyor having a track of tubular construction as to a conveyor having a single rail, and I have chosen to describe in detail in the following specification said improvements as applied to the former as the mechanism is similar in both cases.

I obtain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a tubular track showing the rolling devices and the driving mechanism.

Figure 2 is a transverse section of said tubular track and of said driving mechanism.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of a conveyor with a single rail.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The track suspended to th ceiling or to brackets attached to walls or columns consists as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of a tubular structure of rectangular section 1 having in its bottom part a slot 2 with lips 3 forming grooves 4. The roll ing devices are made of two hall bearings 5 con-- stituted as rolls mounted on an axle S and rolling in grooves 4.

On the same axle 6, a spacer 8, CQDSsting of a plain disk of slightly larger diameter than the ball bearings, rotates freely, said spacer preventing the contact of the ball bearings of two consecutive units and the resulting friction thereof. The lower part of these spacers 8 passes through the slot 2 between the lips 3 to guide accurately the rolling units.

A number of conveniently spaced rolling units have hooks 9 secured to spacers 8 to support the material to be transported.

The driving mechanism consists of a vertical wheel l having two fianges Il haVing peripheral circular indentations l2 corresponding in size with the ball bearings 5, said flanges H passing through openings I3 in the top member of the tubular track. The wheel l0 is driven at a convenient speed by an electric motor through suitable gearing. The indentations l2 engage and push the ball bearings along the track. Small Wheels l4 rotating freely on shafis 15 and pass- 4 ;Claims. (01. 198108) ing through slots under the grooves 4 are positioned exactly under the driving fianges Il to take the thrust and prevent friction when the relier bearings 5 are completely embraced in one of the indentations 12 of the fianges II. The shafts l5 are mounted on the fixed frame (not shown) supporting the driving mechanism.

The same mechanism is used with unconnected rolling units rolling on a single rail as shown in Figure 3. The wheels 18 roll on each side of a rail H and are mounted on axles 8D. Spacers 192 rotating freely on said axles prevent friction. between wheels 18. The axles 80 are mounted on a stirrup 8! from which material supporting members may be suspended. A small wheel or caster 82 supported on the stirrup 8l rolls under the rail to keep in place the rolling unit. In the SWitching mechanism, the gates are langer and suitably guided to intercept the fiow of the rolling units.

I am aware that prior to my invention conveyors have been made of tubular structure or with a single rail, also switching devices substituting short parts of track between sections of conveyors and also unconnected rollin units fiowing through th convoyer. I thereforedo not claim such a combination broadly, but I claim:

1. In a conveyor of tubular construction in which a continuous fiow of unconnected rolling units are pushed through by a suitable driving mechanism, said rolling units consisting of two hall bearings mounted on an axle and rolling on each side of a slot in the bottom member of the tubular track and a circular spacer rotating freely on said axle between the ball bearings and passing through the slot, said spacer being of a larger diameter than said hall bearingg.

2. In a conveyor of tubular construction in which a continuous fiow of unconnected rollin units are pushecl through by a suitable driving mechanism, material supporting units consisting of two hall bearings mounted on an axle With a spacer of a larger diameter in between rotating freely on said axle and passing through a slot in the bottom member of the track and a material supporting member attached to said spacer.

3. In a conveyor of tubular construction containing unconnected r0lling units consisting of two bal] bearings mounted on an axle, a driving mechanism consisting of a vertical wheel having two fianges, said fianges having peripheral indentations of the same form and size as the ball bearings and engaging said hall bearings through openings in the top member of the tubu- 1ar structure, said Wheel and fianges being actuated by a suitab]e driving mechanism, and freely turning wheels or casters placed under the track on which the ball bearings roll when embraced by the indentations.

4. A conveyor including an endless trackway, and a series of rolling units each including spaced rolls and a supporting axle therefor, each unit being disconnected from the adjacent units, a rotatng driving 'member engaging the units in succession to feed such units lengthwse of the trackway, a spacer mounted on the ax1e of each unit between the rolls thereon, and meangonthe.

trackway for preventing movement of each spacer longitudnally to the ax1e.

CLAUDE ROUSSEAU.

RFRENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 706,139 Werner Aug, 5, 1902 851,701 Spear Apr. 30, 1907 1,841,649 Schmidt-et a1. Jan. 19, 1932 2,264,549 P'ecker Dec. 2, 1941 2,304,381 Shallock et al. Dec. 8, 1942 2,371,199 Hassler Mar. 27, 1945 2,372,199 Hassler Mar, 27, 1945 

